Rusty Trailer Frame

[Doc Tinker]

My four month old Jayco travel trailer has rust on 80% of the frame. The dealer tells me that Jayco considers rust an environmental issue and they don't cover rust under their warranty.



I need to know how I should remove the rust and what products are best for coating the frame to prevent corrosion.



I might add that my five-year-old Wilderness trailer had very little rust when I traded it in, so rust on the Jayco came as a surprise to me.



Doc

 

[Mutch]

How much do you want to spend?

at the cheap end of the spectrum, you can roll or spray rustoleum. I used a 3" touch up roller and a quart to paint one of my trailers about a year ago and have been happy so far. You can paint over surface rust as long as it is tightly adhered. If your trailer is only 4 months old, it probably hasn't started to pit and flake yet.



I towed my trailer through a snowstorm in december, complete with salted roads which left it completely white. When I got home, I pressure washed it clean and have no rust showing yet.



You may want to consider a spray on bedliner, such as line-x or rhino, or a DIY roll on bedliner like herculiner. They do a good job and are very resistant to rock chips and other scratches.



I work for the navy and spend alot of your tax dollars keeping our ships from rusting. There are coating systems we use that would do a good job, but do you have $50k to paint your trailer frame?



Drew

 

[Doc Tinker]

Originally posted by Mutch

do you have $50k to paint your trailer frame?



Drew

Nope - Looks like I'll have to opt for one of the cheaper do-it-yourself methods. Hadn't thought about Rhino type stuff though. Thanks for the idea



Doc

 

[KPhillips]

There is a product called Hammerite that is a paint. It kills rust when you paint over it and it dries to a rock hard finish that will resist chipping and flaking.



Alot of us off-roaders use it on the frames of our rigs (as well as the bodies, etc)..... I believe it has very small glass particles that when drying bond together to form the hard shell.



There is also a product that is called POR-15 that is a rust killer and known to be one of the best, you paint it on, it kills the rust and then you paint over it... I Like the Hammerite becasue its a one step process, and it comes in different colors,,,,,



heres hammerites web page



Hammerite



kerryp

 

[rrausch]

Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer used to have fish oil in it. I don't know if you know about fish oil, but it makes a pretty darn good protectorant. Don't know if they still make it with fish oil, they were a couple of years ago.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Gempler's sells this water based rust converter/primer. I never used it but I see a neighbor using it all the time. Must buy it by the gallion.

http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product. asp?UID=2002052019354136&GEN2=&GEN3=&GEN9=0&T1=550A

 

[Extreme1]

I'd just take it to a rustproofer and have them spray the steel. It will seal it from moisture (so it can't rust more) and prevent more from forming. Get it without the warrantee (cash job) and it gets absurdly cheap. I took the tubes I have the axles mounted to on my sled trail to a dealer to rustproof (only game in town & in a hurry). They did it for free!

 

[rwitt]

Try www.eastwoodcompany.com , they've got a product called Rust Encapsulator. You can spray or brush it on and then paint over it. I've used it and I'm very satisfied with the results.

Rich

 

[Briar Hopper]

Bought mine like that, new, Doc. It got worse, didn't think it would get that rusty, that fast. If I get time, I'll go at it with some 3M abrasive wheels chucked in my drill motor. Then paint it. I'm seeing quite a few of the newer RV trailers with rusty frames.

I guess they figure people will buy them anyway, why bother?

Uh, Doc, if you wasn't so short, and your trailer wasn't so tall, you'd never notice the rust... . Sure was good to see you and your family in Tennessee this past weekend.

 

[Doc Tinker]

Briar,



Yeah, maybe I need to hire Gene to walk under my trailer and repaint it.



I was glad to see you and Eric on Saturday. Too bad we couldn't have more time together.



Oh. . yeah, I forgot the decal. Bring one of the small ones to Muncie for me OK? Thanks



Doc

 

[PUMPERDUDE]

Two very good products to stop rust. Enrust and Endall both are used on offshore oil production platforms. Kinda looks like Milk of Magnesia . Just chip the big stuff off. Wirebrush the rest lightly. Give it two coats then paint it. You can even spray it with on old 409 bottle. Works very good. The best I've seen.

 

[BRobertson]

I use LPS3. I buy it by the gallon. It works well on my truck for at least 6 months at a time and we get 180 inches of rain here. !!!

We use it on amphib floats that are used in salt water, and it will stand up to a lot of dunkings before reapply. We usually spray it on at 100 hour inspections.

Bob

 

[zman]

POR-15

Doc,



I have used POR-15 on several different applicatons and have been very satisfied with it. You put it right over the rusty metal and the rust won't be back. I'm thinking about using their semi-gloss black under my truck. It started rusting the minute I drove it off the lot.



POR-15



See ya in Muncie!



Steve

 

[Doc Tinker]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Now I have to figure out which one to follow up on.



Doc

 

[redramnc]

I have used PM Industries on stuff for years. It sprays on like a good enamel, is very scratch resistant, stops rust from spreading, and can be found at Carquest if you need it in a hurry. I have it on the tool box and the headache rack on my 78 Dodge and have only a little UV chalking in about 10 years of outside sitting. A good scrubbing and a little compound and it looks like new. Good stuff. I will spray my all-metal gooseneck with it when I get around to it. HTH.

 

[dresslered]

Another vote for the POR-15.

 

[redramnc]

I have also used POR-15 for years. However, it is photosensitive in some formulations and will literally disappear if left un-topcoated where UVs can get to it. I have sprayed several frames on frame-off restos with POR-15 and they still look good after 15 or so years. POR-15 is a poly-isocyanate so you really need very good masks to filter the particulates out so you don't get a snoot full. The stuff can kill you - very slow and painful. I know someone that loved to shoot Imron sans mask. Lung cancer is not pretty.

 

[M Barnett]

I do some auto painting and frequent an auto painting discussion board. A product nobody has mentioned yet is Zero Rust. It has worked well for me and the pros on this discussion board are convinced its about the best for frame painting. Good things about it are easy to apply, not dangerous to use and not expensive. Do a search as they have a web site.

Michael

 

[Red_Rattler]

Another vote for POR-15, I and my dad have used it on anything and everything, and now they make a coating specificly for high UV rays so thats not a problem either. But it does and will stop the rust in its tracks, and will last, virtually forever. But just have some sandpaper handy if u get it on your skin, thats the only thing that will take it off :--) LMAO... Just my 2 cents

 

[dmurdock]

Doc, "Trucks" tv show was at SEMA and they had a POR (paint over rust) 15 demo. Painted a rusty (i mean flaky rust) piece of metal. After it's dry, you can hit it with a hammer, bend it, etc... it won't come off. About $80 a gallon...